Privacy policy

This policy explains what data MySecretCart collects, why, and what we do with it. We try to keep this in plain English. The rules below comply with GDPR (EU), CCPA (California), and PIPEDA (Canada).

What we collect

• Account info — email, display name, optional phone number, profile photo. Used to identify you and let your circle find you.
• Wishlist data — the products you save, the lists you create, the notes you add. Used to power the app.
• Connection data — who you've added to your circle, their accepted invites. Used to share lists with the right people.
• Click data — when you click a "Buy at retailer" link, we record the click (wish, retailer, time, session id). Used to track affiliate commission attribution.
• Device data — IP address (for security), user agent, push notification token (if you opt in). Used for app functionality and security.
• Cookies — a session cookie for sign-in, a consent cookie for your privacy preferences. No third-party advertising trackers.

What we never do

• We never sell or rent your personal data.
• We never share your email with third parties for marketing.
• We don't use third-party advertising trackers (no Meta Pixel, no Google Ads tracking).
• We don't read your messages or chats with co-gifters beyond what's required for moderation.

Who can see your wishlist

Your wishlist is visible only to people you've accepted into your circle. The exceptions:

• Lists you've explicitly marked Public are visible at mysecretcart.com/u/[your-handle] to anyone with the link.
• Saved products at mysecretcart.com/p/[slug] are public so they can be shared.
• Lists marked Private are visible only to you.

How we protect your data

We take reasonable technical and organizational measures to keep your data safe:

• Encryption in transit — every connection to MySecretCart is served over HTTPS/TLS. Data moving between your device and our servers is encrypted.
• Encryption at rest — your data is stored on Google Cloud / Firebase infrastructure, which encrypts data at rest by default.
• Access controls — authentication is handled by Firebase Authentication. Database access is governed by per-user security rules, so one account cannot read another account's private data. Administrative access is limited to authorized personnel and gated behind verified credentials.
• Minimization — we collect only what the app needs to function (see What we collect) and never request payment-card data; purchases happen on the retailer's own checkout.
• Breach response — if we ever become aware of a data breach affecting your personal data, we will notify affected users and the relevant authorities without undue delay, as required by law (e.g. within 72 hours under GDPR).

No method of transmission or storage is ever 100% secure, but we work to protect your data using industry-standard safeguards.

How long we keep your data

• Account & wishlist data — retained for as long as your account is active. When you delete your account, all wishlist, connection, and profile data is removed within 30 days.
• Click & attribution data — retained for up to 24 months to reconcile affiliate commissions, then deleted or anonymized.
• Device & security logs (IP address, user agent) — retained for up to 90 days for security and abuse prevention, then deleted.
• Backups — residual copies in encrypted backups are purged on the normal backup-rotation cycle (no longer than 90 days after deletion).

We keep data only as long as we have a legitimate need to, or as long as the law requires.

Third parties who process data for us

We rely on a small number of trusted service providers ("sub-processors") to run the app. They process data only on our instructions and under their own data-protection commitments:

• Google Firebase / Google Cloud — authentication, database, hosting, and push notifications.
• Amazon Associates & affiliate networks — to attribute qualifying purchases so we earn commission (see the affiliate disclosure).
• Pinterest — if we publish your Public lists or our gift guides to Pinterest, content is shared via Pinterest's API under their developer and privacy terms.

Your data may be processed on servers located outside your country, including in the United States. Where required, we rely on appropriate safeguards (such as Standard Contractual Clauses) for such transfers.

Your rights

• Access — request a copy of your data by emailing hello@mysecretcart.com.
• Delete — delete your account from Profile → Delete my account (at the bottom of the page). All wishlist + connection data is removed within 30 days.
• Correct — edit any profile field at any time on the Profile page.
• Object — opt out of notification emails via the unsubscribe link in any email, or by emailing hello@mysecretcart.com.

Children

MySecretCart is not intended for children under 13. We do not knowingly collect data from children. If you believe a child has signed up, email us and we'll delete the account.

Changes

If we make material changes to this policy, we'll notify you by email and post a banner on the site for 30 days.

Contact

Privacy questions: hello@mysecretcart.com. EU residents have the right to lodge a complaint with their local Data Protection Authority.